swear

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• Received-Pronunciation: /ˈswɛə(ɹ)/
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• General-American: /ˈswɛɚ/
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• US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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• Australian: /ˈsweː/
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• /ˈsweə/ Perth
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• New-Zealand: /ˈswe̝ə/ without the cheer–chair merger
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• /ˈswiə/ New Zealand, cheer–chair merger
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• Scotland: /ˈsweɹ/
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• /ˈswɜː(ɹ)/ Lancashire, fair–fur merger
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• rhymes with -ɛə(ɹ)
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• CMU ARPABET: S W EH1 R Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
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From Middle English swere, swer, swar, from Old English swǣr, swār (“heavy, heavy as a burden, of great weight, oppressive, grievous, painful, unpleasant, sad, feeling or expressing grief, grave, slow, dull, sluggish, slothful, indolent, inactive from weakness, enfeebled, weak”), from Proto-West Germanic *swār, from Proto-Germanic *swēraz (“heavy”), from Proto-Indo-European *swer- (“heavy”). Cognate with West Frisian swier (“heavy”), Dutch zwaar (“heavy, hard, difficult”), German schwer (“heavy, hard, difficult”), Danish svær (“heavy, hard, severe”), Swedish svår (“heavy, hard, severe”), Latin sērius (“earnest, grave, solemn, serious”) and Albanian varrë (“wound, plague”).

From the above verb, or from Middle English sware, from Old English swaru, from Proto-Germanic *swarō.

From Middle English sweren, swerien, from Old English swerian (“to swear, take an oath of office”), from Proto-West Germanic *swarjan, from Proto-Germanic *swarjaną (“to speak, swear”), from Proto-Indo-European *swer- (“to swear”). Cognate with West Frisian swarre (“to swear”), Saterland Frisian swera (“to swear”), Dutch zweren (“to swear, vow”), Low German swören (“to swear”), sweren, German schwören (“to swear”), Danish sværge, Swedish svära (“to swear”), Icelandic sverja (“to swear”), Russian свара (svara, “quarrel”). Also cognate to Albanian var (“to hang, consider, to depend from”) through Proto-Indo-European. The original sense in all Germanic languages is “to take an oath”. The sense “to use bad language” developed in Middle English and is based on the Christian prohibition against swearing in general (cf. Matthew 5:33-37) and invoking God’s name in particular (i.e. frequent swearing was considered similar to the use of obscene words).

230 source translations are retained for this English entry.

• Southern Altai: карганар (karganar) — to take an oath
• Arabic: حَلَفَ (ḥalafa) — to take an oath
• Arabic: أَقْسَمَ (ʔaqsama) — to take an oath
• Arabic: حلف (ḥalaf) — to take an oath
• Armenian: երդվել (erdvel) — to take an oath
• Armenian: երդվեցնել (erdvecʻnel) — to take an oath
• Aromanian: giur — to take an oath
• Asturian: xurar — to take an oath
• Azerbaijani: and içmək — to take an oath
• Belarusian: кля́сціся (kljáscisja) — to take an oath
• Belarusian: пакля́сціся (pakljáscisja) — to take an oath
• Belarusian: прысяга́ць (prysjahácʹ) — to take an oath
• Belarusian: прысягну́ць (prysjahnúcʹ) — to take an oath
• Bengali: কসম করা (kôsôm kôra) — to take an oath
• Bulgarian: закле́вам се (zaklévam se) — to take an oath
• Bulgarian: кълна́ се (kǎlná se) — to take an oath
• Burmese: ကျိန် (kyin) — to take an oath
• Catalan: jurar — to take an oath
• Chinese Mandarin: 發誓 /发誓 (fāshì) — to take an oath
• Chinese Mandarin: 賭咒 /赌咒 (dǔzhòu) — to take an oath
• Ngazidja Comorian: ulapva — to take an oath
• Czech: přísahat — to take an oath
• Danish: sværge — to take an oath
• Dutch: zweren — to take an oath
• Dutch: een eed afleggen — to take an oath
• Esperanto: ĵuri — to take an oath
• Faroese: svørja — to take an oath
• Finnish: vannoa — to take an oath
• French: jurer — to take an oath
• Friulian: zurâ — to take an oath
• Friulian: ğurâ — to take an oath
• Galician: xurar — to take an oath
• Georgian: დაფიცება (dapiceba) — to take an oath
• Georgian: ფიცი (pici) — to take an oath
• German: schwören — to take an oath
• Greek: ορκίζομαι (orkízomai) — to take an oath
• Ancient Greek: ὄμνυμι (ómnumi) — to take an oath
• Hebrew: נשבע (nishbá) — to take an oath
• Hungarian: esküszik — to take an oath
• Icelandic: sverja — to take an oath
• Ido: jurar — to take an oath
• Italian: giurare — to take an oath
• Japanese: 誓う (chikau) — to take an oath
• Japanese: 契る (chigiru) — to take an oath
• Kabuverdianu: jura — to take an oath
• Khmer: សច្ចា (sɑɑsɑccaa) — to take an oath
• Khmer: សាបាន (saabaan) — to take an oath
• Khmer: ស្បថ (sbɑt) — to take an oath
• Korean: 맹세하다 (maengsehada) — to take an oath
• Central Kurdish: سوێند خواردن (swênd xwardin) — to take an oath
• Kyrgyz: каргануу (karganuu) — to take an oath
• Lao: ສະບານ (sa bān) — to take an oath
• Latin: iūrō — to take an oath
• Low German: swören — to take an oath
• Macedonian: се колне (se kolne) — to take an oath
• Maguindanao: sapa — to take an oath
• Malayalam: ആണയിടുക (āṇayiṭuka) — to take an oath
• Malayalam: സത്യം ചെയ്യുക (satyaṁ ceyyuka) — to take an oath
• Maltese: naħlef — to take an oath
• Maranao: sapa' — to take an oath
• Mauritian Creole: zoure — to take an oath
• Megleno-Romanian: jur — to take an oath
• Mongolian: амлах (amlax) — to take an oath
• Mongolian: ᠠᠮᠠᠯᠠᠬᠤ (amalaqu) — to take an oath
• Norman: juther — to take an oath
• Norwegian Bokmål: sverge — to take an oath
• Norwegian Nynorsk: sverja — to take an oath
• Norwegian Nynorsk: sverje — to take an oath
• Occitan: jurar — to take an oath
• Old Norse: sverja — to take an oath
• Persian: سوگند خوردن (sowgand xordan) — to take an oath
• Persian: قسم خوردن (qasam xordan) — to take an oath
• Polish: przysięgać — to take an oath
• Polish: przysiąc — to take an oath
• Polish: przyrzekać — to take an oath
• Polish: przyrzec — to take an oath
• Polish: kląć się — to take an oath
• Polish: zaklinać się — to take an oath
• Portuguese: jurar — to take an oath
• Romanian: jura — to take an oath
• Russian: кля́сться (kljástʹsja) — to take an oath
• Russian: покля́сться (pokljástʹsja) — to take an oath
• Russian: присяга́ть (prisjagátʹ) — to take an oath
• Russian: присягну́ть (prisjagnútʹ) — to take an oath
• Sardinian: giurài — to take an oath
• Sardinian: giurare — to take an oath
• Sardinian: zurare — to take an oath
• Serbo-Croatian: клети се — to take an oath
• Serbo-Croatian: kleti se — to take an oath
• Sicilian: giurari — to take an oath
• Sicilian: jurari — to take an oath
• Slovak: prisahať — to take an oath
• Slovene: prisegati — to take an oath
• Slovene: priseči — to take an oath
• Spanish: jurar — to take an oath
• Swahili: -apa — to take an oath
• Swedish: svära — to take an oath
• Swedish: svärja — to take an oath
• Tajik: қасам хурдан (qasam xurdan) — to take an oath
• Tajik: савганд ёд кардан (savgand yod kardan) — to take an oath
• Telugu: ఒట్టు పెట్టు (oṭṭu peṭṭu) — to take an oath
• Telugu: ప్రమాణం చేయు (pramāṇaṁ cēyu) — to take an oath
• Thai: สาบาน (sǎa-baan) — to take an oath
• Turkish: ant içmek — to take an oath
• Turkish: yemin etmek — to take an oath
• Ukrainian: кля́стися (kljástysja) — to take an oath
• Ukrainian: клясти́ся (kljastýsja) — to take an oath
• Ukrainian: покля́стися (pokljástysja) — to take an oath
• Ukrainian: поклясти́ся (pokljastýsja) — to take an oath
• Ukrainian: присяга́ти (prysjaháty) — to take an oath
• Ukrainian: присягну́ти (prysjahnúty) — to take an oath
• Uzbek: qasamyod qilmoq — to take an oath
• Venetan: giurar — to take an oath
• Vietnamese: thề — to take an oath
• Walloon: djurer — to take an oath
• Welsh: tyngu — to take an oath
• Arabic: شَتَمَ (šatama) — to curse, to use offensive language
• Arabic: سَبَّ (sabba) — to curse, to use offensive language
• Arabic: سَبّ (sabb) — to curse, to use offensive language
• Arabic: شتم (šatam) — to curse, to use offensive language
• Armenian: հայհոյել (hayhoyel) — to curse, to use offensive language
• Azerbaijani: söyüş söymək — to curse, to use offensive language
• Azerbaijani: yaman demək — to curse, to use offensive language
• Belarusian: ла́яцца (lájacca) — to curse, to use offensive language
• Belarusian: мацюка́цца (macjukácca) — to curse, to use offensive language
• Bulgarian: псу́вам (psúvam) — to curse, to use offensive language
• Bulgarian: руга́я (rugája) — to curse, to use offensive language
• Chinese Mandarin: 咒罵 /咒骂 (zhòumà) — to curse, to use offensive language
• Chinese Mandarin: 醜詆 /丑诋 (chǒudǐ) — to curse, to use offensive language
• Chinese Mandarin: 罵人 /骂人 (màrén) — to curse, to use offensive language
• Czech: klít — to curse, to use offensive language
• Danish: bande — to curse, to use offensive language
• Dutch: vloeken — to curse, to use offensive language
• Dutch: schelden — to curse, to use offensive language
• Esperanto: sakri — to curse, to use offensive language
• Esperanto: parolaĉi — to curse, to use offensive language
• Esperanto: fiparoli — to curse, to use offensive language
• Esperanto: blasfemi — to curse, to use offensive language
• Estonian: ropendama — to curse, to use offensive language
• Faroese: banna — to curse, to use offensive language
• Faroese: blóta — to curse, to use offensive language
• Faroese: svørja — to curse, to use offensive language
• Finnish: kiroilla — to curse, to use offensive language
• French: jurer — to curse, to use offensive language
• French: gronder — to curse, to use offensive language
• Galician: xurar — to curse, to use offensive language
• Georgian: წყევლა (c̣q̇evla) — to curse, to use offensive language
• Georgian: კრულვა (ḳrulva) — to curse, to use offensive language
• Georgian: გინება (gineba) — to curse, to use offensive language
• German: schimpfen — to curse, to use offensive language
• German: fluchen — to curse, to use offensive language
• Greek: βρίζω (vrízo) — to curse, to use offensive language
• Hebrew: קִלֵּל (kilél) — to curse, to use offensive language
• Hindi: कोसना (kosnā) — to curse, to use offensive language
• Hindi: गाली देना (gālī denā) — to curse, to use offensive language
• Hungarian: káromkodik — to curse, to use offensive language
• Hungarian: szitkozódik — to curse, to use offensive language
• Icelandic: blóta — to curse, to use offensive language
• Istriot: bas'ciamà — to curse, to use offensive language
• Italian: insultare — to curse, to use offensive language
• Italian: bestemmiare — to curse, to use offensive language
• Japanese: 罵る (nonoshiru) — to curse, to use offensive language
• Japanese: 悪態をつく (akutai o tsuku) — to curse, to use offensive language
• Japanese: 怒鳴る (donaru) — to curse, to use offensive language
• Korean: 욕을 하다 (yogeul hada) — to curse, to use offensive language
• Central Kurdish: جْنێودان (cinêwdan) — to curse, to use offensive language
• Lithuanian: keiktis — to curse, to use offensive language
• Macedonian: пцуе (pcue) — to curse, to use offensive language
• Malayalam: തെറിപറയുക (teṟipaṟayuka) — to curse, to use offensive language
• Māori: kangakanga — to curse, to use offensive language
• Norman: juther — to curse, to use offensive language
• Norwegian Bokmål: banne — to curse, to use offensive language
• Norwegian Bokmål: sverge — to curse, to use offensive language
• Norwegian Bokmål: sverte — to curse, to use offensive language
• Norwegian Nynorsk: banna — to curse, to use offensive language
• Norwegian Nynorsk: banne — to curse, to use offensive language
• Norwegian Nynorsk: sverta — to curse, to use offensive language
• Norwegian Nynorsk: sverte — to curse, to use offensive language
• Norwegian Nynorsk: sverja — to curse, to use offensive language
• Norwegian Nynorsk: sverje — to curse, to use offensive language
• Nǀuu: ǁxʼaa — to curse, to use offensive language
• Old Norse: bǫlva — to curse, to use offensive language
• Persian: فحش دادن (fohš dâdan) — to curse, to use offensive language
• Persian: دشنام دادن (došnâm dâdan) — to curse, to use offensive language
• Polish: kląć — to curse, to use offensive language
• Polish: zakląć — to curse, to use offensive language
• Polish: przeklinać — to curse, to use offensive language
• Polish: przekląć — to curse, to use offensive language
• Polish: skląć — to curse, to use offensive language
• Polish: wyklinać — to curse, to use offensive language
• Polish: bluzgać — to curse, to use offensive language
• Polish: bluznąć — to curse, to use offensive language
• Portuguese: praguejar — to curse, to use offensive language
• Portuguese: xingar — to curse, to use offensive language
• Romanian: înjura — to curse, to use offensive language
• Romanian: blestema — to curse, to use offensive language
• Russian: руга́ться (rugátʹsja) — to curse, to use offensive language
• Russian: вы́ругаться (výrugatʹsja) — to curse, to use offensive language
• Russian: брани́ться (branítʹsja) — to curse, to use offensive language
• Russian: скверносло́вить (skvernoslóvitʹ) — to curse, to use offensive language
• Russian: матери́ться (materítʹsja) — to curse, to use offensive language
• Russian: матюка́ться (matjukátʹsja) — to curse, to use offensive language
• Russian: матюга́ться (matjugátʹsja) — to curse, to use offensive language
• Serbo-Croatian: psovati — to curse, to use offensive language
• Sicilian: jastimiari — to curse, to use offensive language
• Sicilian: nciuriari — to curse, to use offensive language
• Sicilian: nzurtari — to curse, to use offensive language
• Slovak: kliať — to curse, to use offensive language
• Lower Sorbian: klěś — to curse, to use offensive language
• Spanish: renegar — to curse, to use offensive language
• Spanish: jurar — to curse, to use offensive language
• Spanish: echar ternos — to curse, to use offensive language
• Spanish: maldecir — to curse, to use offensive language
• Swedish: svära — to curse, to use offensive language
• Tajik: дашном додан (dašnom dodan) — to curse, to use offensive language
• Tajik: ҳақорат кардан (haqorat kardan) — to curse, to use offensive language
• Thai: สบถ (sà-bòt) — to curse, to use offensive language
• Turkish: sövmek — to curse, to use offensive language
• Turkish: küfretmek — to curse, to use offensive language
• Ukrainian: ла́ятися (lájatysja) — to curse, to use offensive language
• Ukrainian: матюка́тися (matjukátysja) — to curse, to use offensive language
• Vietnamese: nói tục — to curse, to use offensive language
• Vietnamese: văng tục — to curse, to use offensive language
• Vietnamese: nói bậy — to curse, to use offensive language
• Vietnamese: chửi tục — to curse, to use offensive language
• Vietnamese: chửi bậy — to curse, to use offensive language
• Vietnamese: chửi thề — to curse, to use offensive language
• Vietnamese: chửi — to curse, to use offensive language
• Welsh: melltithio — to curse, to use offensive language
• Welsh: rhegi — to curse, to use offensive language